Reap the wild wind
by Lothiriel84
Summary: He couldn't afford to lose Lisbon. She was all he had left, the single person who still kept him grounded. The one and only living person he really cared about. - Title from the namesake song by Ultravox; set after the season finale, so beware of spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Reap the wild wind**

**Chapter 1**

He shouldn't have let her come with him. He really shouldn't.

For it was a trap, of course. Red John had finally found a way to raise the stakes in their little game of cat and mouse.

So there he was now, helplessly watching as the serial killer held Lisbon – _his_ Lisbon – at gunpoint. The bastard was truly enjoying himself, he could tell that.

While he was desperately ransacking his mind in order to come up with a plan.

He couldn't afford to lose Lisbon. She was all he had left, the single person who still kept him grounded.

The one and only living person he really cared about.

"Okay, Red John. You fooled me this time, I have to give you this. Now let her go, and then we can talk. It's me that you actually want, isn't it?"

The man offered him a twisted smile. "I kind of want you both, as a matter of fact."

"What if I promised to do whatever you like? You just have to spare her, that's all."

Despite the dire straits they were in, Lisbon couldn't help glaring at him. "Jane!"

"Hush, Teresa."

Red John laughed at this. "You know, all this is very touching. However, I'm afraid I have something else in store for the both of you."

"Wasn't it you the one who offered me your friendship before? I'm perfectly willing to accept it – I'm simply asking you to change the terms slightly, that's all."

"Patrick, there's one thing I've come to realize. I can't trust you. No friendship is really possible between the two of us."

"Try me. Send Lisbon back home, and I'll show you what I'm capable of doing."

"Jane, stop it!", she interjected once again. The game he was playing was too dangerous even for a man like Patrick Jane.

They never heard Red John's next words, for two gunshots echoed in the empty hall.

The man they had been chasing for so long collapsed to the floor – blood staining his immaculate shirt.

"You alright?"

Agent Darcy came forward, still wielding her gun. Neither Jane nor Lisbon had ever been so happy to see her.

Lisbon's voice quivered slightly as she answered with another question. "How did you find us?"

"Followed your car. Looks like my hunch was correct, doesn't it?"

The last thing that Darcy was expecting right now was Jane coming towards her and throwing his arms around her.

"Thank you. I owe you big time."

"You're welcome", the FBI agent replied somewhat awkwardly.

She knew that Jane actually wasn't a touchy-feely person, except when he did it on a specific purpose. Teresa Lisbon had to mean a lot to him – that thing was for sure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"It's nice to see you again, lover. Did you miss me?"

He surveyed her coolly – his hands buried in his pockets as was his wont.

"No, I didn't."

She gave him one of her pert smiles. "Too bad."

"I'm here to tell you something, Lorelei."

"Oh. And what that _something_ might be?"

"Red John's dead."

Her head tilted to one side. "Do you really expect me to believe it?"

"It's true. Take a look at this."

Jane noticed her flinching slightly as he threw the snapshot of Red John's dead body before her on the table.

"Who did it?"

"Doesn't matter. He's gone for good this time."

"Why are you telling me that?"

He sat down without breaking eye contact.

"You seem like a good woman who's lost her way. I could help you."

"Now who's playing games?"

"Well, for sure you need a new life – now that he's dead."

"Stop quoting my words, Patrick."

His fingers closed around her wrist. "Lorelei, look at me."

She raised her eyes and stared at him defiantly. "You don't understand. Red John was my friend."

"Red John had no friends – just tools. Now you can forget him and start a new life, or not. That's your call."

"A new life? And you're coming with me?"

"No."

A wry smile played at the corner of her lips. His gaze had strayed towards the two-way mirror just for a split second, yet she had seen it.

"She's over there, correct?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The cop you're in love with. The one Red John wanted you to kill."

"That's none of your business."

Absent-mindedly – or apparently so – he started fiddling with his golden wedding band.

As he felt Lorelei's eyes on it, he slipped it off his finger and began twiddling it.

"Listen to me very carefully. Red John never meant anything to you. When you walk out of that door, you're going to forget about him. You're going to find yourself a new job, a new place where to live, and a good man who can take care of you. Okay?"

"Okay."

He looked again at the two-way mirror, in order to seek Lisbon's approval – even if he couldn't actually see her.

"You're free to go now. Goodbye."

As a strangely meek Lorelei stepped outside the interrogation room, Jane took a good look at his wedding ring.

Finally he pocketed it and went out as well. A cup of Lapsang souchong was exactly what he needed right now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Later that night he was propped against the wall of the attic balcony, staring at the city lights. There were no stars in the overcast sky.

Lisbon crept beside him without a word and leaned on the wall a couple of inches away from him.

A moment later she felt his fingers grazing her elbow and then sliding down her forearm – just as he had done that day in Las Vegas.

She allowed him to take her hand and hold it. His thumb gently circling on the back of her hand felt strangely good tonight.

"Thank you, Lisbon."

"For what?"

"You know what I mean."

Her head bowed ever so slightly. Of course he was talking about Lorelei.

"Jane, could you please tell me one thing?"

He turned to look at her – his hand never leaving hers. "Sure."

"Do you care about her?"

Something flickered across his face, though she couldn't quite place it.

"Well, not exactly."

"Then why did you insist on letting her go?"

"Because I pitied her."

That surprised her – even more so because somehow she felt sure he was telling the truth.

"Why did she say you're in love with me?"

Those words sounded weird even to her own ears. Immediately she regretted them escaping from her lips.

"I guess Red John told her", Jane stated quietly. His eyes were resting on the Sacramento skyline now.

A heavy silence fell. Suddenly they were both scared of what the implications of all this might be.

"Jane?"

He heaved a deep sigh. "Teresa, you don't owe me anything. I'm fine."

His heart sank as she removed her hand from his grasp.

_Well, that was it._

As he prepared himself to disappear inside the attic, her hand found the small of his back.

Their eyes met, and she felt her breath clogging in her throat under his intent stare.

"I don't think I'd want a relationship with you", he admitted at last.

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

Perhaps it was better that way. Neither of them needed further complications, and being just good friends was for sure the best course to follow.

"Don't want to hurt you, Lisbon."

"Okay", she said once again.

His fingers reached for a strand of her hair and played with it. "You know, I'd probably want to marry you straightaway – and that's absolutely insane, I'm perfectly aware of that."

That took her completely aback. Her eyes widened, and her brain went numb for a while.

_Had he really just said that he wanted to marry her?_

Yeah, he was right. It sounded almost absurd as a matter of fact.

Except that, on second thought… it wasn't so insane after all.

They'd known each other for nearly a decade now. And had probably started acting like a couple years ago, if she was honest with herself.

Maybe, after all they'd been through together, they could simply skip the whole dating thing and take the following step.

"Is it really?", was all she managed to say – before the look in his eyes changed all of a sudden.

The tips of their noses skimmed against each other for a moment before his lips finally found hers.


	4. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_Eight years later…_

"You two watching that movie again?"

"Well, what's wrong with it?", he countered easily. "It's the best love story I've seen in years. She's a tough girl by the way – and carries a gun. Just like you, you know."

"Yeah. And that old-fashioned scrap actually resembles _you_."

He pouted slightly. "That's not fair, Teresa."

The little girl sitting in his lap laughed merrily at this. "I love _Wall-E_, dad! He's my favorite character."

"Really? I guess I could settle for being him then."

Teresa shook her head and sat down next to him. She actually didn't mind watching the movie with her family as a matter of fact.

An affectionate smile touched her lips when Jane threaded his fingers through hers. Apparently _Wall-E_ wasn't the only one who had a thing for holding hands.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"The first time daddy said he was in love with you… how was it?"

A flash of panic crossed her face. No way she was going to tell her daughter about that.

_He had followed her into her office and had hugged her tightly – much to her surprise._

_Then, as he had wielded his gun, those words had unexpectedly slipped out._

"_Good luck, Teresa. Love you."_

She felt relieved when Jane squeezed her hand in a reassuring way. He would come up with something, she was sure of that.

"I can actually _show_ you. What do you say about that?"

Ashley clapped her hands and suddenly forgot about her favorite movie. Jane momentarily disappeared out of the door, only to come back a few minutes later – his right hand hiding behind his back.

Teresa frowned uncomprehending as he placed something beside her on the sofa.

When the origami frog popped up she wasn't sure whether to burst out laughing or crying.

She had a feeling that Jane wasn't just making up a story to their daughter's benefit. Her mind went back to the first frog he had given her as an apology, and she found herself considering the fact that maybe he had told the simple truth this time.


End file.
